Pitt Boots Irish in OT
posted by John Vannie
Conor Lee’s fourth field goal in overtime ended the longest game in Notre Dame history as Pittsburgh beat the Irish 36-33 on Saturday. Trailing by 17-3 at the half, the Panthers rallied behind running back LeSean McCoy and a stout defense that smothered Notre Dame in the second half and throughout four overtime periods. Lee’s winning 22-yard kick came after Brandon Walker missed a 38 yard attempt for the Irish. Both kickers matched field goals in the first three overtime periods.
McCoy was held to five yards on three carries in the first quarter, got it going as his teammates wore down Notre Dame. Pitt dominated the second half and was able to come back and tie the score in regulation after the only productive Irish drive in the second half gave the hosts a brief 24-17 lead with 5:38 left.
The Panthers roared downfield with help from Notre Dame. The Irish missed two tackles on wide receiver T.J. Porter, which turned a short gain into a 37 yard romp into Irish territory. McCoy ran Pitt into the red zone and second string quarterback Pat Bostick hit Jonathan Baldwin from ten yards on a fourth down pass to tie the game at 24.
Notre Dame had a last shot to win in regulation with three minutes left, but was hit with a holding penalty as soon as they started to gain traction. Facing a fourth down and one at midfield with under a minute left, Coach Charlie Weis elected to go for the win. Eschewing a power running play, Weis rolled the dice in an attempt to pass the ball into field goal range. Pitt blanketed the Irish receivers and took over, but a David Bruton interception two plays later sent the game into overtime.
Many people questioned Weis’ decision to pass, but it was clear that the Panthers were dominating play on both sides of the ball in the fourth quarter and the Irish defense could no longer stop McCoy. Perhaps the Irish sideline correctly sensed that an overtime battle would play into Pitt’s hands, and Lee gave Pittsburgh a statistical edge over Notre Dame’s Brandon Walker in the kicking game.
It’s not as if the Irish did not have numerous other opportunities to win the game. The defense recorded three interceptions, one of which set up a second quarter score that gave the hosts a 17-3 lead. The defense was playing well at that point and Bostick was off target with his passes. Notre Dame did not commit any turnovers, but a few key negative plays were costly.
The Irish suffered a blocked punt that led to a Pitt field goal, committed a personal foul penalty that turned a Panther three and out into a touchdown drive to open the third quarter, and squandered a golden opportunity to score a touchdown on two occasions during overtime.
Meanwhile, Pittsburgh showed the value of sticking with the running game even when behind and reaping the benefits in the fourth quarter when the defense becomes tired. The Irish have no such advantage because they have no such commitment to physical offensive football and are at a loss to generate offense when an opponent has the personnel to bring pressure on the quarterback and tight, aggressive coverage on the Notre Dame receivers. Butch Davis made a similar adjustment to shut down the Irish at North Carolina, and Weis has yet to find an answer.
The loss stands as a setback to a program and coaching staff that was just beginning to generate hope for the faithful for the first time in recent memory. It also underscored the limitations of Weis’ offense and brings into question its suitability to the college game. The numerous personnel groupings do little other than telegraph a predictable set of plays to the opposition.
Perhaps the most egregious shortcoming is the utter failure of this staff to develop a consistent and reliable running game. This is unconscionable given the talent along the offensive line and at running back, but the plays generally take too long to develop. Technique is poor, blocks cannot be sustained long enough for back to get through the holes, and the lack of execution seems to indicate that this aspect of the attack takes a back seat to the passing game during practice.
Equally disturbing is that opponents have been able to generate a disruptive pass rush in the last few weeks. The Irish have not given up a bundle of sacks, but the number of throwaways and unproductive plays is enough to kill drives. In overtime, when it’s best to play to your strength on offense, Notre Dame had nothing to call upon except the usual grab bag of plays with no discernable strategy or purpose.
As the dust clears and the sprinklers come on, fans are left with the reality that Notre Dame has no wins against teams with winning records this season and Weis has never beaten a team that finished the season ranked in the national Top 20. When one considers that this Panther team, like North Carolina, was forced to start its backup quarterback and had to come from behind to win, frustration sets in.
Notre Dame has lost any realistic opportunity to play in an attractive bowl game this season, but Weis can stop the bleeding by beating Boston College on the road next week. The team’s demeanor and ability to play well for sixty minutes will provide a clear message regarding the future of Weis and some of his assistants. In the wake of this discouraging and inexcusable loss, the indicators are not very positive right now.
Let’s take a last look at the questions that we thought would determine the outcome:
Will Notre Dame’s offensive line tighten up its pass protection after sprouting leaks in Seattle?
Not when it counted. Pitt harassed Jimmy Clausen into unproductive plays even without blitzing.
Will McCoy carry the ball 25+ times and achieve his 5.2 yards per carry average?
McCoy met his average with 169 yards on 32 carries, but the physical toll on Notre Dame’s defense was the real key to his performance.
Can Bostick be effective if forced into action?
He was generally a liability with three interceptions, but Pitt’s running game ensured that he did not have to be the hero.
Will the Irish defense force any turnovers after two consecutive unproductive outings?
Raeshon McNeil had two picks and Bruton had one, which makes this loss difficult to swallow given the 3-0 edge in turnovers.
Can Wannstedt fix his porous secondary?
Absolutely, but Notre Dame fell into a predictable pattern and made it easier for them.
Which team will win the time of possession battle?
Notre Dame held sway in the first half with help from McNeil’s interceptions, but Pitt held the ball for more than 18 minutes in the second half and wore down the Irish.
The Irish will not beat many teams without using its personnel to develop a reliable running game. If Weis continues to insist on making Notre Dame a passing team, his quarterback needs to be comfortable in the pocket and complete more than 50% of his passes.
Other areas of the team could also stand to improve. The defense plays hard but will run out of gas each week that the offense cannot sustain many drives. Special teams are still anemic when it comes to generating a punt or kickoff return. Blockers try to get in the way of defenders but do not really hit anyone during returns. While there are pockets of improvement from the debacle that was the 2007 season, that is hardly saying much. In truth, this staff has not done enough to restore the program to a level that is acceptable, and its chances are starting to run out.
McCoy was held to five yards on three carries in the first quarter, got it going as his teammates wore down Notre Dame. Pitt dominated the second half and was able to come back and tie the score in regulation after the only productive Irish drive in the second half gave the hosts a brief 24-17 lead with 5:38 left.
The Panthers roared downfield with help from Notre Dame. The Irish missed two tackles on wide receiver T.J. Porter, which turned a short gain into a 37 yard romp into Irish territory. McCoy ran Pitt into the red zone and second string quarterback Pat Bostick hit Jonathan Baldwin from ten yards on a fourth down pass to tie the game at 24.
Notre Dame had a last shot to win in regulation with three minutes left, but was hit with a holding penalty as soon as they started to gain traction. Facing a fourth down and one at midfield with under a minute left, Coach Charlie Weis elected to go for the win. Eschewing a power running play, Weis rolled the dice in an attempt to pass the ball into field goal range. Pitt blanketed the Irish receivers and took over, but a David Bruton interception two plays later sent the game into overtime.
Many people questioned Weis’ decision to pass, but it was clear that the Panthers were dominating play on both sides of the ball in the fourth quarter and the Irish defense could no longer stop McCoy. Perhaps the Irish sideline correctly sensed that an overtime battle would play into Pitt’s hands, and Lee gave Pittsburgh a statistical edge over Notre Dame’s Brandon Walker in the kicking game.
It’s not as if the Irish did not have numerous other opportunities to win the game. The defense recorded three interceptions, one of which set up a second quarter score that gave the hosts a 17-3 lead. The defense was playing well at that point and Bostick was off target with his passes. Notre Dame did not commit any turnovers, but a few key negative plays were costly.
The Irish suffered a blocked punt that led to a Pitt field goal, committed a personal foul penalty that turned a Panther three and out into a touchdown drive to open the third quarter, and squandered a golden opportunity to score a touchdown on two occasions during overtime.
Meanwhile, Pittsburgh showed the value of sticking with the running game even when behind and reaping the benefits in the fourth quarter when the defense becomes tired. The Irish have no such advantage because they have no such commitment to physical offensive football and are at a loss to generate offense when an opponent has the personnel to bring pressure on the quarterback and tight, aggressive coverage on the Notre Dame receivers. Butch Davis made a similar adjustment to shut down the Irish at North Carolina, and Weis has yet to find an answer.
The loss stands as a setback to a program and coaching staff that was just beginning to generate hope for the faithful for the first time in recent memory. It also underscored the limitations of Weis’ offense and brings into question its suitability to the college game. The numerous personnel groupings do little other than telegraph a predictable set of plays to the opposition.
Perhaps the most egregious shortcoming is the utter failure of this staff to develop a consistent and reliable running game. This is unconscionable given the talent along the offensive line and at running back, but the plays generally take too long to develop. Technique is poor, blocks cannot be sustained long enough for back to get through the holes, and the lack of execution seems to indicate that this aspect of the attack takes a back seat to the passing game during practice.
Equally disturbing is that opponents have been able to generate a disruptive pass rush in the last few weeks. The Irish have not given up a bundle of sacks, but the number of throwaways and unproductive plays is enough to kill drives. In overtime, when it’s best to play to your strength on offense, Notre Dame had nothing to call upon except the usual grab bag of plays with no discernable strategy or purpose.
As the dust clears and the sprinklers come on, fans are left with the reality that Notre Dame has no wins against teams with winning records this season and Weis has never beaten a team that finished the season ranked in the national Top 20. When one considers that this Panther team, like North Carolina, was forced to start its backup quarterback and had to come from behind to win, frustration sets in.
Notre Dame has lost any realistic opportunity to play in an attractive bowl game this season, but Weis can stop the bleeding by beating Boston College on the road next week. The team’s demeanor and ability to play well for sixty minutes will provide a clear message regarding the future of Weis and some of his assistants. In the wake of this discouraging and inexcusable loss, the indicators are not very positive right now.
Let’s take a last look at the questions that we thought would determine the outcome:
Will Notre Dame’s offensive line tighten up its pass protection after sprouting leaks in Seattle?
Not when it counted. Pitt harassed Jimmy Clausen into unproductive plays even without blitzing.
Will McCoy carry the ball 25+ times and achieve his 5.2 yards per carry average?
McCoy met his average with 169 yards on 32 carries, but the physical toll on Notre Dame’s defense was the real key to his performance.
Can Bostick be effective if forced into action?
He was generally a liability with three interceptions, but Pitt’s running game ensured that he did not have to be the hero.
Will the Irish defense force any turnovers after two consecutive unproductive outings?
Raeshon McNeil had two picks and Bruton had one, which makes this loss difficult to swallow given the 3-0 edge in turnovers.
Can Wannstedt fix his porous secondary?
Absolutely, but Notre Dame fell into a predictable pattern and made it easier for them.
Which team will win the time of possession battle?
Notre Dame held sway in the first half with help from McNeil’s interceptions, but Pitt held the ball for more than 18 minutes in the second half and wore down the Irish.
The Irish will not beat many teams without using its personnel to develop a reliable running game. If Weis continues to insist on making Notre Dame a passing team, his quarterback needs to be comfortable in the pocket and complete more than 50% of his passes.
Other areas of the team could also stand to improve. The defense plays hard but will run out of gas each week that the offense cannot sustain many drives. Special teams are still anemic when it comes to generating a punt or kickoff return. Blockers try to get in the way of defenders but do not really hit anyone during returns. While there are pockets of improvement from the debacle that was the 2007 season, that is hardly saying much. In truth, this staff has not done enough to restore the program to a level that is acceptable, and its chances are starting to run out.
23 Comments:
I have NEVER seen anyone telegraph a handoff as badly as Clausen does. Never. In my entire life, at any level of football.
He holds the ball as far away as possible with his elbow locked like he is grabbing a loaf of Wonderbread off the shelf at the grocery store. Please work on the subtlety!
Regarding the "telegraphed" hand-off, that is a specific technique designed to help the play-action game. Sure, it looks like JC is "telegraphing" the hand-off on running plays. However, the point is that when he "telegraphs" it to the LBs and safties, they will bite hard and then when JC pulls the ball back to play-action pass, the LBs and safties are out of position. Peyton Manning, along with most of the great play-action passers in the NFL, do the exact same thing.
The point of the stiff-arm hand-off is precisely NOT subtlety. You want to be as obvious as possible, because that will get the safties and LBs to bite on play-action. And this only works if JC uses the exact same motion (which he does) whether he's actually handing off or when he's play-action passing.
This "telegraphing" of the hand-off is actually evidence of good coaching and good attention to detail from JC. Watch a Colts game and you'll see the exact same thing.
Outcoached by the 'Stache - a disgrace.
This was the UNC game all over again.
ND had more talent and couldn't win. They didn't deserve to win after not being able to score a TD in any of the OT's.
Where is the schematic advantage?
cannot take it any longer!!!! been an irish fan for 60 yrs. this is it!!! my families routine was generated around nd. never missed a game!!! 4th and 36 inches and they cannot get a 1st down!! back to back time outs!! we are told this is a roster of the best high school players in the usa. on defense they look like statues!!! they NEVER throw to some one coming out of the backfield. charlie, the fullback IS ALWAYS OPEN!!! piits defense was flying to the ball. no more!!! i was there when anthony davis returned that kickoff in la!!! i was there gordon kicked that football in '93. and folks, nd has not been the same team since that ball went through the goalposts. no more nd tv for me. they will lose to bc, navy, beat syracuse to a half filled stadium and get slaughtered by usc. watch the grin on carroll's face!!!
The biggest problem last year was the offensive line and that still is the biggest problem. Pitt was able to get consistent pressure on the QB without blitzing. ND cannot consistently run the ball so there is no need to bring anybody extra to the line of scrimmage. It is hard to have an effective passing game when your QB get little time to throw and the other team can have 7 or 8 people in pass coverage. It is hard to understand how such a huge line cannot win the line scrmmange more often. Also ND's running backs are only fair at best. Allen is just OK, he does not have break away speed and Aldrige and Hughes are big slow fullbacks who do not seem to brake or avoid tacklers. They need to try Gray or give Tate some time in the backfield. Lastly, the kick off return blocking has gotten worse not better.
I was at the game, and believe we should have won. In the second half, Pitt came out on offense and showed some creativity, with direct snaps to the backs, mis-direction, screens, releasing the backs to the flats. ND's offense made no changes, lined up in a similar formation 99% of the time, no mis-direction, no screens, no backs in the flats - nothing to keep the defense guessing and on their heels. Walker should not be blamed at all - Weis and the OC should take the fall for this one. I was hoping the one-dimensional offense was going to leave, but the predictability is still there, unfortinately.
Wasn't ND known for being innovative in the past? When did that die, and why can't we bring that back? Weis's offense can work, as long as we keep the defense guessing.
Have to agree. The handoffs are beyond horrible. They take way to long to develop. There is no inovation in the plays. It's fade left, fade right. No passes over the middle or anything that would remotely look like innovation. How many pro passes can we take? Throw it 4 yards when it's 3 and 9. Good luck in your new OC job in the pro CW. Thanks for doing ok in recruiting. Hopefully, a new coach will develop the talent.
Yes, I agree...It's time for us to stop thinking this guy is a god...he sucks...
bottem line...how long are we gonna blame ty for this?
Charlies biggest win is a LOSS to usc...what the hell?
I'm tired of sugar coating..
THIS IS IRISH MIKE and I'm mad as hell and I'm NOT GONNA TAKE IT ANYMORE!!!
Notre Dame fans have plenty to be upset about right now considering this Irish squad should probably be undefeated given the talent on the team...but the doomsday analysis of the team is entirely too knee-jerk. This team will be good and will good soon. It will even be great in a year or two, but I don't think it can be overstated how bad and overmatched the team was last year and how far the team had to come just so they could compete against barely-better--average-than-average competition (i.e. Pitt and NC).
If you told people last year that the team could have a 8-4 year(which is completely possible right now) after going 3-9 and getting absolutely slaughtered the way we did, I believe most people would be satisfied.
This loss was painful..no doubt about it. But, I am still hopeful for that in the coming years this team, with JC and CW at the helm, they will be successful. Unfortunately, it's after losses like this were people start the calls for people to be fired...which is completely unwarranted.
keep the faith....Go Irish!
p.s. anyone who is going to call Charlie Weis, "fat charlie" was clearly picked on in school for either being ugly or stupid themselves growing up...
Let's not sugar coat it. Notre Dame's play was abysmal. The offense started off well but as in previous outings just a few adjustments by Pitt's defense and they were completely shut down. ND made no such adjustments. There's still no run defense. How can that be midway though the season? Whoever was calling the plays in OT should be shot for not coming up with a play to get the ball in the endzone. Putting the game on the back of Walker was unfair and stupid. After kicking a gorgeous 45 yarder, the offense screwed around for three plays and forced him to come right back out and kick a 38yarder. How can you expect to win like that?! I don't know if it's the coaching or the young players or what but something has got to give with this team. I'm growing impatient waiting for them to break through. They have failed to step up to the next level. Let's face it, even if they do make it to the next level they are still nowhere near the level that the TexasTechs, Floridas, Penn States, and Alabamas are playing at.
One more point, if I have to watch another Notre Dame home game and see that all of the fans are SITTING DOWN during key plays in the game I'm going to put my foot through the TV set. When are the ND fans going to wake up and recognize that they have an obligation to cheer until their throats bleed. That's only fair to those (like me) who would be doing that if they could be there. What is wrong with these people?!
LET'S GO IRISH!!!!!
I believe Charlie deserves one more year at the helm, but changes are definitely required on the coaching staff - the first of which is to replace Latina and find someone (anyone) that can teach these 4 and 5 star offensive lineman how to block. I find it absolutely pathetic that in addition to the complete lack of a running game, time and time again the opposition rushes 3 D-linemen and still get to Clausen almost every time. If not for Tate and Floyd knowing how to get open this team could easily be 3 - 5 right now.
Now, another take is to simply go out and hire one of these D-Coordinators that keep getting to Clausen with only 3 guys...because Brown and Tenuta can't even do it when they bring the house...which was supposedly Tenuta's "specialty" when he came aboard.
One more year Charlie! If you can't beat a real team by the end of next season the Irish faithful would hope to see your resignation on Swarbrick's desk...
Where is this "talented offensive line" that you speak of? Did we redshirt them?
Charlie is ok, but with a couple of faults that hinder his ability to pull through these close ones against top 25 caliber teams.
The difference between being 5-3 and 8-0 is a matter of a couple of TDs in two of the games and really QB play in the other.
The team is improved enough in every area of the game to be where they should be at this time with the exception of the play of the QB.
Clausen has as good a touch and quick release as any in college football. But Weis and many fans stubbornly resist the truth that there is more than this to effective college QB play.
One more time- Clausen is not a leader, he's too self-absorbed for that. And he can not make plays under pressure, which every top tier team has to have in its QB in order to win games like this. Evan Sharpley has these qualities and should be the QB.
If he were, we would be 7-1 or 8-0 right now.
I have to agree with this post. I have stated that this was a statement game . Again ND came up short. Patience with CW seems to be waning after every loss with ND fans. The play calling has not been terrible but the continuity of the calling is questionable. I have to disagree about going for the 1st down in the last minute. The proper football decision was to punt and go to OT. The decision did not hurt them but was still a terrible one IMO. I could go on for hours about this game. IMO, after a 4-1 start the only way the season will be successful would be to finish 10-3,9-4 with a bowl win. I do not see that happening. I could easily see ND losing to BC, possible Navy, and USC. Where does that leave this program? Probably not much better than after the 2007 season. A very scary thought indeed.
ND could win at BC this week and possibly get back on track but the fact remains that, in the Weis era ND cannot beat top 25 teams, and/or teams with winning records. Wouldn't you think ND could at least take 1 out of 3 from MSU, NC and Pitt?
In my opinion the defense has not improved since Minter left. They still don't have a pass rush, give up too many big plays and critical third down plays. ND likes to boast that it has not one but two Afro American coordinators. That doesn't mean a thing if your team isn't performing well. Seven yards of offense in the third quarter is inexusable. ND's O-line, while improved, still gets beat on critical passing downs. It's very worrisome when teams rush 3 or 4 down lineman and still get pressure on Clausen.
I'm losing patience with Weis and this staff. Yes, Weis is a great recruiter, but so is Al Groh and Wannstedt, yet Pitt and Virginia almost never crack the top 15. Heck, even Faust could at least knock off a few top 10 teams but not Weis.
7-5 at ND is not good enough especially with the talent on this team. A coaching change may be in order, but who?
Outcoached at halftime on back to back occasions by mid tier opponents. Charlie now needs to win 3/4 not to be at top of the list of coaches on the hotseat heading into 2009....
This is the return of Jerry Faust...a good recruiter with little insight into the big picture. Again and again he is relying on huge plays from good athletes to win his games not a sustained effort by the whole team. The writing is on the wall, Charlie is a D- coach. As the highest employee at ND he is not making his salary and needs to be let go.
I've never before seen anyone out-stupid Wannestadt this effectively. Why he even bothered to go with a QB at all is beyond me, as the wildcat left, wildcat right was good for ten ypc.
But we were clearly unable to make him pay for it due to Charlie's unwillingness to run for one yard. Twice. "They'll never expect the pass!" Except when you do it every time when it counts.
Has anyone taken a good hard look at our assistant coaching staff? I mean a really hard look? Now, while I like the fact that Charlie tried to hire some ND "guys" and keep things in the family and all, our overall assistant staff is VERY mediocre. Haywood is a nice guy, and had been a good running backs coach and recruiter for years....but your first year EVER calling plays should not be at ND. I know a guy who's an offensive coordinator in the Big 12, he calls the plays (does it well), but it's about his 10 year calling the plays (he called them at a Div. 2 school, then a WAC school, then a Pac 10 school, now a big time Big 12 school). And while you don't need 10 years experience to become a good play caller, he's told me that clearly it took him a few years to really figure out how to call a good game. And then we have Powlus on the sideline (seems to always be chewing gum and never saying anything). Another good guy, but a greenhorn as a coach. And Polian....another greenhorn. When half the staff are greenhorn's or "early career" guys at what they are doing, it's no wonder that we're not out-coaching and out-executing people.
Pitt rushed 3 defensive lineman and stilled hurried or sacked Clausen. At least twice the replays showed that Wenger & Olson never even touched anyone. How can this OL be a bright spot, they stink. The running plays take way, way too long to develop and when Alridge or Hughes enter the game everyone knows the Irish will run the ball. I am sorry, but after 4 years of hope, some great recruiting CW has not produced a competitive team.
What I find to be the problem with this team and coaching staff is that they let off the gas as soon as they get a two touchdown lead. And the real underlying problem is the coaching philosophy. Time and time again Charlie has stated that he's not going to run up the score on anyone. Now they may still be calling plays to continue to score, but when the coach has that mentality, the team has the mentality and mentally does not execute the plays with the same focus as if the score was tied. Charlie's has got to learn to keep pushing the gas until there's 0:00 on the clock.
Everybody said for years that CW was an offensive genious. I've been watching him for four years now and where is the genious part?? He might be really smart, but I don't think he new much about the college game before he got to ND. Everything I read about ND tells me he's on a tremendous learning curve. My advice to CW would be to clean house (coaching wise) after this season, take some of his millions he's paid, and put it toward Asst. coaching salaries so he can get some "genious" into the staff. And make sure that he finds somebody who can motivate these kids.
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